Metal-magnesium compounds

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to metal-magnesium compounds, a process for preparing same and the use thereof, especially for the preparation of finely divided, possibly amorphous, metal and alloy powders and/or of intermetallic compounds, both procedures via a non-metallurgical route in organic solvents under mild conditions.

This application is a continuation or divisional, of application Ser. No. 07/734,365, filed Jul. 22, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,716.

The present invention relates to metal-magnesium compounds, a process for preparing same and the use thereof, especially for the preparation of finely divided, possibly amorphous, metal and alloy powders and/or of intermetallic compounds, both procedures via a non-metallurgical route in organic solvents under mild conditions.

Metal alloys and/or intermetallic compounds are usually prepared by metallurgical processes. Metal powders in a finely divided highly reactive form are obtained according to DE 35 41 633 (Studiengesellschaft Kohle, 1987) by reacting metal salts in a solvent with magnesium powder which has been admixed with a catalytic amount of anthracene and/or of magnesium anthracene or one of the derivatives thereof as an acivator. According to the DE 36 13 532 (Studiengesellschaft Kohle, 1987) there has been known a process for the preparation of finely divided, possibly amorphous, intermetallic compounds and the hydrides thereof, wherein hydrides of the elements of the Main Groups I to IV of the Periodic Table, hydridemagnesium halides or magnesium dialkyls in an organic solvent are reacted with bisallylmetal compounds of the metals of the Subgroup VIII of the Periodic Table or of zinc. A recently described method for the preparation of finely divided metal and alloy powders {H. Bonnemann et al., Angew. Chem. 102 (1990), 324} consists of the reduction or co-reduction of metal salts in an organic phase by means of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal organohydridoborates.

Now, surprisingly a new process was found for the preparation of metal-magnesium compounds (M¹ -Mg-compounds), and by employing these, of metal and alloy powders or of intermetallic or metal-element compounds (M¹, M¹ M², M¹ M² M³. . . ) in a finely divided highly reactive and possibly amorphous form. The new process relating to M¹ -Mg-compounds is characterized in that halides of the metals of the Groups IIIA-VA, VB-VIIB, VIII, IB and IIB of the Periodic Table (M¹ X_(m)), or optionally the metals M¹ or M¹ -hydrides, are reacted in an organic solvent with magnesium hydride (MgH₂), hydridemagnesium halides (HMgX), organomagnesium compounds and/or metallic magnesium, if desired in the presence of anthracene or its derivatives, magnesium anthracene 3 THF (MgA) or its derivatives, magnesium halides, organic halides and/or quinuclidine as activators. Tetrahydrofurane (THF) is deemed to be the preferred solvent. The metals M¹ are preferred to be employed in a finely divided highly reactive form, while it is desirable that the magnesium component used has preferably been dissolved or partially dissolved in an organic solvent, or that an insoluble magnesium component (e.g. magnesium powder) is employed in the presence of said activators. As the MgH₂, there is preferably employed the catalytically prepared MgH₂ (MgH₂ *; European Patent 3564, Studiengesellschaft Kohle, 1982) or the catalytically prepared dissolved MgH₂ (MgH₂ '; DE 37 22 993, Studiengesellschaft Kohle, 1989). As the preferred organomagnesium compounds, there are contemplated C₁ -C₁₂ -alkylmagnesium halides, di-C₁ -C₁₂ -alkylmagnesium compounds, MgA or its alkyl or aryl derivatives and/or Mg₂ Cl₃ (THF)₆.sup.○ + -anthracene.sup.○ - .

It is considered a pre-requisite for the preparation of M¹ -Mg compounds from metal halides M¹ X_(m) according to the present invention that an excess of the magnesium compound is employed relative to the quantity required for reducing M¹ X_(m) to the metal level M¹ or to form a M¹ hydride. Namely, in this procedure, part of the Mg component is consumed for the reduction of M¹ X_(m) to the metal stage or for the formation of M¹ hydride, whereas the excess of the Mg-component reacts with the metal M¹ or with the M¹ hydride in statu nascendi to form the M¹ -Mg compound. Therefrom it ensues that in the reaction of M¹ X_(m) with the Mg component, depending on the molar ratio of M¹ X_(m) :magnesium component and on the reaction conditions, both M¹ or M¹ hydride M¹ -Mg compounds in admixture with M¹ or M¹ hydride and M¹ -Mg compounds alone may be formed. Nevertheless, the preparation of M¹ -Mg compounds may also be carried out in two steps, if so desired, wherein first M¹ X_(m), with the Mg component, is reduced to the metal level M¹ or converted into the M¹ hydride, and then the resulting M¹ or M¹ hydride, which is present in a finely divided highly reactive form, is subsequently reacted with a further amount of the Mg component in a solvent, or in the solid state by means of a subsequent thermal treatment, to form the M¹ -Mg compound.

In the reaction of M¹ X_(m) (or of M¹) with the Mg components mentioned according to the present process, the types a.-d. listed hereinbelow of M¹ -Mg compounds may be formed depending on the kind of M¹ X_(m) (or of M¹) and of the Mg component and on the molar ratio and reaction conditions employed:

a. intermetallic Mg compounds or Mg alloys (Mg_(x) M¹ y);

b. intermetallic Mg hydrides (Mg_(x) M¹ _(y) H_(p)), carbides (Mg_(x) M¹ _(y) C_(q)) and hydride-carbides (Mg_(x) M¹ _(y) H_(p) C_(q));

the M¹ -Mg compounds listed in a. and b. comprise known compounds of the respective types as well as compounds hitherto unknown. It is characteristic for the instant process that the resulting compounds are formed in a highly reactive, finely divided and possibly X-ray amorphous form.

Of special novelty is the finding that according to the present process there can be formed not only solid intermetallic Mg compounds or Mg alloys, but in many cases also the hitherto unknown THF-soluble M¹ -Mg compounds, namely

the THF-soluble M¹ -Mg halides (Type c.), and

the THF-soluble M¹ -Mg (hydride)halides (Type d.).

It has further been found that the Mg in the M¹ -Mg compounds preparable according to the present process may be replaced by an alien metal or element M or by two or more alien metals or elements (M², M³ . . . ) by allowing M¹ -Mg compounds to react with M² halides (M² X_(n)) or with a mixture of M² and M³ halides, preferably in a solvent. Thus, in combination with the method presented for the preparation of M¹ -Mg compounds of the types a. through d., for the first time there ensues a purposeful two-step synthesis of intermetallic compounds as well as metal-element compounds or metal alloys (M¹ M², M¹ M² M³, . . . ) under mild conditions ("cold metallurgy") and without employing the otherwise conventional, expensive metallurgical processes. The preparation of (M¹ M²) in accordance with this two-step synthesis may be described by the following equations: ##EQU1##

If so desired, the preparation of (M¹ M²) according to this method may be carried out also in one step (Example 22a) by allowing to react M¹ X_(m) with the magnesium component in the presence of M² X_(n).

For the preparation of M¹ M², M¹ M² M³ according to the presented method there may also be employed the M¹ -Mg compounds preparable according to the DE 36 13 532 (Studiengesellschaft Kohle, 1987).

If, according to the presented method, the M¹ -Mg compounds are reacted with M¹ X_(m), then the metals M¹ are obtained in a finely divided highly reactive form: ##EQU2##

The preparation of the M¹ -Mg compounds a through d. and the use thereof for the production of metal and alloy powders and of intermetallic compounds (M¹, M¹ M², M¹ M² M³) is furnished evidence of by the Examples 1 through 41, while it is not limited thereto. Examples for the preparation of M¹ Mg compounds according to Equation 1 have been set forth in the Tables 1 to 4 and 4a, and .examples for the preparation of metal alloys (M¹ M²) according to Equation 2 and of the metal powders (M^(1*)) according to Equation 3 have been set forth in the Tables 5 and 5a.

The soluble or insoluble M¹ -Mg compounds preparable according to the instant process may be used as, inter alia, homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysts, as starting materials for the preparation thereof or for the preparation of organometallic M¹ compounds. Thus, for example, the Mg-Sn, Mg-Pb and Mg-Ga alloys accessible according to the process may be employed as starting material for the preparation of organotin compounds (herbicides, pesticides), organolead compounds (knock inhibitors) and organogallium compounds (Ga, As, photovoltaic cells). The intermetallic Mg hydrides (compounds of type b.) and especially the THF-soluble M¹ -Mg (hydride)halides (type d.) such as, e.g., Fe(HMgCl)₂ (Example 21) may be used as reducing agents for functional organic compounds such as, e.g., esters, ketones, aldehydes, halides and the like. The solid M¹ -Mg compounds may find use as metal and alloy powders in the powder technology (e.g. Mg₂ Cu), and the hydrides and carbides thereof may find use as reversible hydrogen and heat storage media, where it is an advantage that according to the instant process they are obtained in a highly active, finely divided and often X-ray amorphous form. Besides the M¹ -Mg compounds according to Equations 2 and 3 are employed as starting materials for the preparation of metal and alloy powders (M¹, M¹ M², M¹ M² M³ . . . ) in a finely divided, highly reactive form The metal and alloy powders (M¹, M¹ M², . . . ) are also usable in powder technology and especially as heterogeneous catalysts (e.g. FeCu, Example 21, as catalyst for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis).

The advance in the art constituted by the instant process is also due to the fact, besides other reasons, that intermetallic M¹ -Mg compounds and alloy powders (M¹ M² , . . . ) have become accessible which according to the hitherto common metallurgical procedures could be produced not at all or only at a higher expenditure. Thus, for example, the intermetallic compound Mg₂ Pd (Example 12) which reversibly reacts with hydrogen is hardly ever accessible via a metallurgical route. The new intermetallic compounds, the tetragonal MgPt and Mg₂ Pt could not be produced via the metallurgical route.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a powder diagram of Mg₂ Pt measured with a sample of Example 17. Also shown for comparison are the calculated diagrams for Mg₂ Pt and MgPt. It is evident that the examined sample contains both compounds.

FIG. 2 shows a powder diagram of MgPt measured with a sample of Example 18. Also shown for comparison is the calculated diagram for MgPt. It is evident that the examined sample consists of only one compound.

EXAMPLES

The experiments were carried out in an argon atmosphere; THF was distilled over diethylmagnesium or magnesium anthracene·3 THF (MgA).

The data of Examples 1 to 6 are shown in Table 1.

EXAMPLE 1

To a stirred solution/suspension of 6.94 g (16.6 mmoles) of MgA in 50 ml of THF there was dropwise added at room temperature (RT) within 1 hour a solution of 1.56 g (8.2 mmoles) of anhydrous SnCl₂ dissolved in 50 ml of THF, whereupon a black suspension formed. After stirring at RT for 1 hour, a 2 ml sample of the suspension was protolyzed with 2 ml of a mixture of toluene:CH₃ OH, 25:1, (using n-C₁₆ H₃₄ as internal standard) and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC), whereafter the batch contained 15.4 mmoles of anthracene and 0.3 mmoles of 9,10-dihydroanthracene. In the deep-blue THF solution, 9.4 mmoles of Mg²⁺ and 0.01 mmole of Sn were analyzed by complexometric analysis.

The suspension was filtered, and the solid was washed with THF until the washing liquid was colorless. After drying under vacuum (0.2 mbar), there were obtained 1.17 g of a black pyrophoric solid which had the composition Mg 12.4, Sn 60.5, C 1.9, H 0.3% (Mg:Sn=1:1). After hydrolysis (H₂ O+5N H₂ SO₄) of a sample of the solid and GC analysis of the organic portion, the solid contained 0.03%of anthracene. According to the X-ray powder analysis the solid was a mixture of the intermetallic Mg compound Mg₂ Sn with elemental Sn.

The preparation of the mixture of Mg₂ Sn^(*) +Sn^(*) was repeated in the same manner and with the same amounts as described above and was confirmed by X-ray powder analysis of an isolated small sample of the solid. The still moist solid left after filtration was suspended in 50 ml of THF, the stirred suspension was admixed with a solution of 8.2 mmoles of SnCl₂ in 47 ml of THF, and the mixture was stirred at RT for 7 hours. The suspension was filtered, the solid was washed with THF and dried under vacuum (0.2 mbar). According to the X-ray powder analysis, only Sn, but no Mg₂ Sn, is present in the solid.

EXAMPLE 1a (COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE TO EXAMPLE 1)

To a cooled and stirred solution or suspension of 6.45 g (15.4 mmoles) of MgA in 50 ml of THF there was added all at once a solution of 3.20 g (16.9 mmoles) of anhydrous SnCl₂ in 50 ml of THF; thereupon the temperature of the reaction mixture rose from 13° C. to 25° C., and a black solid precipitated. During the subsequent stirring of the batch at RT, samples (of 2 ml) of the solution were taken, and by complexometric titration it was determined that the deposition of tin was completed already after about 3 minutes. After this time, upon the hydrolysis of the sample, a molar ratio of anthracene:9,10-dihydroanthracene of 30:1 was determined. The suspension was filtered, the precipitate was washed twice with 30 ml of THF each and dried under vacuum (0.2 mbar). 1.34 g of a black powder were obtained which had the composition of Sn 96.8, Mg 1.2, Cl0.4% and a specific surface area of 16.2 m² /g.

EXAMPLE 2

The experiment was carried out and worked up in the same manner as in Example 1 while, however, the SnCl₂ solution was added all at once to the MgA suspension. After a period of reaction of 18 hours at RT, 29.0 mmoles of Mg²⁺ and only traces of Sn²⁺ were detected in the solution.

EXAMPLE 3 A. Preparation of Mg₂ Sn from SnCl₂ and MgA:

To a stirred solution or suspension of 14.8 g (35.3 mmoles) of MgA in 100 ml of THF there was added at -60 ° C. a solution of 1.69 g (8.9 mmoles) of SnCl₂ in 50 ml of THF. The resulting black suspension was allowed to warm up from -60 ° C. to -30 ° C. within 12 hours, from -30 ° C. to RT within 12 hours, and was stirred at RT for further 12 hours. The suspension was filtered, and the solid was washed seven times with a total of 330 ml of THF, until the initially blue washing liquid running off was colorless. After drying under vacuum (0.2 mbar) there were obtained 1.65 g of a black pyrophoric powder having the composition of Mg 25.59, Sn 64.14, C 5.44, Cl 1.27, H 0.97%. According to the X-ray powder analysis the powder was amorphous; it had a specific surface area of 109.4 m² /g. This Mg₂ Sn failed to give any reflections in the X-ray powder diagram even when tempered at 250 ° C. for 4 hours.

B. Preparation of Mg₂ Sn from SnCl₂ and MgA, followed by the reaction with CuCl₂ to form a Cu-Sn alloy:

To a stirred solution or suspension of 19.0 g (45.4 mmoles) of MgA in 150 ml of THF there was added at -78 ° C. a solution of 13.1 mmoles of SnCl₂ in 70 ml of THF; the resulting black suspension was allowed to warm up to RT within 6 hours, and was then stirred at RT for 4 days (cf. the preparation of Mg₂ Sn^(*) described in A.). Once the Mg₂ Sn^(*) had settled, the yellow supernatant solution was siphoned off, 50 ml of THF were added to the Mg₂ Sn^(*), the resulting suspension was stirred for 30 minutes, and the solution again was siphoned off. This operation was repeated two more times. Then Mg₂ Sn^(*) was suspended in 100 ml of fresh THF, the suspension was admixed with 3.48 g (25.4 mmoles) of anhydrous CuCl₂ and was stirred at RT for 82 hours. The black suspension was filtered, the solid was washed 4 or 5 times with THF and was dried under high vacuum. Obtained were 3.18 g of a Mg-containing Cu-Sn alloy which had the composition set forth in Table 5. In the filtrate of the batch, there were found 20.6 mmoles of Mg²⁺ by way of an analysis. In addition to weak reflections caused by Sn, the alloy showed numerous reflections in the X-ray powder diagram which could not yet be assigned.

EXAMPLE 4

SnCl₂ was added as a solid material to the suspension of MgA in 170 ml of toluene. After 4 hours of stirring, 28 mmoles of anthracene and 0.4 mmoles of 9,10-dihydroanthracene were found to be present in the solution. Prior to the filtration, the mixture was stirred another 18 hours at RT and 2 hours at 50 ° C.

EXAMPLE 7

A stirred suspension of 16.70 g (40.0 mmoles) of MgA in 100 ml of THF was admixed at -70 ° C. with a solution of 43.3 moles of SnCl₂ in 176 ml of THF; the mixture, while stirred, was allowed to warm up to RT within 6 hours, and was then stirred for 66 hours at room temperature. A sample of the solid (0.94 g) was isolated and identified as elemental Sn by X-ray powder analysis and elemental analysis (Sn 97.85, Mg 0.57, C 0.44, H 0.11, Cl0.74%). The clear supernatant solution was siphoned off from the remaining batch, 200 ml of THF were added to the Sn^(*), the suspension was stirred for 10 minutes, and the solution was again siphoned off. This operation was repeated two more times. Sn was then suspended in 200 ml of fresh THF, 21.5 g (51.7 mmoles) of solid MgA were added to the suspension, and the mixture was stirred at RT for 1 h. The black suspension was filtered, the solid was washed with THF and dried under vacuum (0.2 mbar). Obtained were 4.29 g of Mg₂ Sn^(*) (in admixture with little Sn^(*)), which was identified by means of an X-ray powder analysis; elemental analysis: Sn 72.49, Mg 20.78, Cl 0.59, C 2.82, H 0.43%.

EXAMPLE 8

A solution cooled at 0° C. of 16.2 mmoles of SnCl₂ in 87 ml THF was added to 5.72 g (14.8 mmoles) of MgA, and the black suspension was stirred at RT for 21 hours (cf. Example 1a). The supernatant solution was siphoned off; 60 ml of THF were added to the Sn^(*), the resulting suspension was stirred for 30 minutes, and the solution was again siphoned off. A small portion of Sn^(*) (about 50 mg) were dried under vacuum and analyzed: Sn 92.86, Mg 0.22, C 0.74, H 0.16%; in the X-ray powder diagram, the Sn^(*) sample is identical with an authentic sample of Sn powder. The remainder of Sn^(*) was suspended in 10 ml of THF and added to a mixture comprising 0.62 g (25.7 mmoles) of Mg powder (270 mesh), 0.25 g (1.4 mmoles) of anthracene, and 16 ml of a 0.53 molar MgCl₂ solution in THF (8.5 mmoles of MgCl₂), which mixture in advance had been stirred at RT for 3 hours to form the deep-blue complex [Mg₂ Cl₃ ·6 THF].sup.○ + -anthracene. After 17 hours of stirring, the suspension was gray-violet, and the solution was deep-blue in color. The suspension was filtered, Mg₂ Sn^(*) was washed 3 or 4 times with THF and was dried under vacuum (0.2 mbar). Obtained were 1.75 g of Mg₂ Sn^(*) as a black powder of the composition Sn 71.91, Mg 25.82, Cl0.39, C 1.26, H 0.23%. The X-ray powder diagram of the Mg₂ Sn^(*) thus prepared conforms to that of the JCPDS data file (except for two low-intensity reflections). In the dark-blue tin-free filtrate there Were found 1.04 mmoles of anthracene and 0.14 mmoles of 9,10-dihydroanthracene by GC analysis.

The data relating to the Examples 9 to 16 are shown in the Tables 2, 2a and 5.

EXAMPLE 9

A suspension of 1.11 g of MgH₂ (76.5% according to thermovolumetric analysis; 32.2 mmoles of MgH₂), prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of magnesium [Cr catalyst, RT; Angew. Chem. 92 (1980) 845] in 60 ml of THF was stirred at RT and portionwise admixed with 2.89 g (16.3 mmoles) of anhydrous PdCl₂, and the resulting suspension was stirred at RT for 24 hours, whereupon 0.67 H₂ /Pd were released. Upon heating the suspension at 60° C. for 6 hours until the H₂ evolution ceased, the amount of hydrogen evolved increased to 0.92 H₂ /Pd. The suspension was filtered while still warm, and the solid was subsequently washed with THF. After drying in vacuum (0.2 mbar), 2.10 g of an X-ray amorphous solid were obtained which had the composition of Pd 73.74, Mg 19.07, C 3.19, H 1.86, Cl2.21% (Mg₁.13 PdC₀.38 H₂.66 Cl₀.09). In the filtrate of the batch there were titrimetrically determined 17.0 mmoles of Mg²⁺ and 29.5 mmoles of Cl⁻.

A sample of 1.59 g of the solid was heated from RT to 400° C. at a rate of 1° C./min; in the course thereof, in the temperature range around 317° C., corresponding to the decomposition temperature of MgH₂, 224 ml of a gas (20° C./1 bar) were obtained which had the composition of H₂ 95.1, CH₄ 1.2, C₄ H₁₀ 3.7%. After hydrogenation under pressure (20 bar/200° C./24 hours), the sample was once more subjected to thermolysis as described above, whereupon only 26 ml of gas were formed. After this operation, the sample failed to absorb any H₂ in a hydrogen atmosphere at 102° C. under normal pressure, according to which finding the presence of finely divided metallic palladium is to be excluded. Due to the broad reflections at d=2.230 (100), 3.161 (38.9), 1.822 (25.7), and 1.289 (25.0) in the X-ray powder diagram, the sample contains the cubic MgPd known from the literature (P. I. Kripyakevich, E. I. Gladyshevskii, Kristallografiya 5 (1960) 552; CA 13641, 1962), however not any free Mg or Pd. [After annealing a small portion of the sample (690° C./72 hours/argon), the cubic MgPd was converted into the tetragonal Mg₀.9 Pd₁.1 (X-ray powder reflections at d=2.2550 (100), 2.1395 (34.2), 3.0264 (25.6), and 1.2555 (23.9)]. Upon a renewed pressure hydrogenation, the sample failed to yield virtually any gas as described above and exhibited the reflections of the tetragonal Mg₀.9 Pd₁.1 in the X-ray powder diagram, but no reflections of free Mg or Pd. Composition of the sample after the operations described: Pd 78.65, Mg 17.61, C 1.18, H 0.78, Cl 1.58% (MgPd.sub. 1.02C₀.14 H₁.07 Cl₀.06).

EXAMPLE 11

38 ml of a 1.31-molar MgH₂ '-solution in THF (49.9 mmoles of MgH₂ '), prepared according to the DE-0S 37 22 993 (catalyst: 1% by mole of FeCl₂ -Mg-anthracene, 4% by mole of quinuclidine, 9% by mole of MgCl₂) were stirred and at -78° C. portionwise admixed with 2.57 g (14.5 mmoles) of anhydrous PdCl₂. Then the batch with continuous stirring was allowed to warm up from -78° C. to RT within 3 hours, whereupon the evolution of H₂ began to occur at about -55° C. The batch was stirred for further 42 hours at room temperature until the H₂ evolution ceased. Work-up and analysis were carried out as described in Example 9. Data on the experiment are shown in the Tables 2 and 2a. The resulting solid is the amorphous Mg-Pd carbide which is preparable also from MgH₂ ' and bis(η ³ -allyl)palladium {Zeitschr. Phys. Chem. N.F. 162 (1989) 191}.

EXAMPLE 11a COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE TO EXAMPLE

If MgH₂ ' is reacted with PdCl₂ in a molar ratio of 1:1 in THF at room temperature, then after work-up there is obtained a finely divided, highly reactive Pd powder (Table 2), however not any Mg-Pd compound.

EXAMPLE 12

59 ml of a 0.84-molar MgH₂ '-solution in THF (49.6 mmoles), prepared according to the DE-OS 37 22 993 were vigorously stirred and in a closed system at RT were portionwise admixed with 2.11 g (11.9 mmoles) of anhydrous PdCl₂, so that the internal temperature did not exceed 30° C. The H₂ evolution began immediately. After 1 hour of stirring at RT and development of altogether 1.13 H₂ /Pd (Gl. 17) the suspension was filtered. Work-up and analysis were carried out as described in Example 9. Data on the experiment are shown in the Tables 2 and 2a. The resulting solid is the reversible hydride Mg₂ PdH_(x) (literature quoted in Example 11), as is concluded from the behavior in dehydrogenation/re-hydrogenation cycles and from the composition.

EXAMPLE 13

To a stirred suspension of 2.48 g (14.0 mmoles) of the anhydrous PdCl₂, dried under high vacuum, in 60 ml of THF at -78° C. there was added a solution cooled at -78° C. of 2.34 g (28.5 mmoles) of MgEt₂ in 50 ml of THF (the color turns to black!), and the suspension was subsequently stirred at the constant temperature for 48 hours. Then the vessel was connected to a gas burette, was then allowed with permanent stirring to warm up from -78° C. to RT within 2 hours and was then stirred at room temperature for another 48 hours. Then the volatile components were condensed under vacuum (0.2 mbar) in two cold traps connected in series (-78° C. and -196° C.). MS analysis of the quantities of the gases evolved during the warm-up period and at RT and present in the condensates yielded 2.02 C₂ H₆ /Pd and 1.77 C₂ H₄ /Pd. The residue was taken up with 100 ml of fresh THF, the suspension was stirred at RT for a short time, filtered, the precipitate was washed several times with THF and twice with pentane, and was dried under high vacuum. 0.25 g of a black powder are obtained, which has the composition as reported in Table 2. In the THF solution having a deep-brown color there were found by complexometric titration after hydrolytic workup 28.8 mmoles of Mg²⁺ 28.6 mmoles of Cl⁻ and by atomic absorption analysis 12.3 mmoles of Pd²⁺.

To an aliquot of the Pd(MgCl)₂ solution prepared as described above (1.32 mmoles of Pd in 56 ml of THF) there were added 0.29 g (1.65 mmoles) of PdCl₂, the suspension was stirred at RT for several days, centrifuged, and the resulting solid was washed with THF and dried under high vacuum. Obtained were 0.16 g of a solid, the composition of which has been set forth in Table 5.

Another part of the Pd(MgCl)₂ solution (4.51 mmoles of Pd in 80 ml of THF) was admixed with the equimolar amount of SnCl₂ in THF (0.85 g, 4.50 mmoles of SnCl₂ in 10 ml of THF); the suspension was stirred at RT for 3 to 4 days, filtered, and the black, extremely fine precipitate was washed with THF. Upon drying under high vacuum there were obtained 1.02 g of an X-ray amorphous powder having the composition as indicated in Table 5. In the THF-filtrate of slightly brown color there were found by complexometric titration 8.8 mmoles of Mg²⁺ and 17.6 mmoles of Cl⁻ and by atomic absorption analysis 0.026 mmoles of Pd and 0.034 mmoles of Sn.

The data of the Examples 16 to 20 are shown in the Tables 3, 3a and 5, the data of the Examples 21 to 27 are shown in the Tables 4 and 5a, and the data of the Examples 28 to 32 are shown in the Tables 4a and 5a.

EXAMPLE 28

A suspension of 4.86 g (0.20 moles) of Mg powder (270 mesh) in 130 ml of tetrahydrofurane was subjected to an ultrasonic treatment for 13/4 hours; thereto, 2.53 g (19.9 mmoles) of FeCl₂ (anhydrous) were added, and the resulting mixture was again subjected to the ultrasonic treatment for 1 hour and then stirred at RT for 18 hours. An aliquot part of the suspension was centrifuged with 10,000 rpm for 1 hour to remove Mg and Fe^(*) from the solution. The determination of the amount of hydrogen evolved upon protolysis of an aliquot of the clear deep-blue solution and of the iron dissolved therein (13.5% of the initial FeCl₂ amount) resulted in 1.52 H₂ /Fe.

EXAMPLE 32

A suspension of 20.0 g (0.82 moles) of Mg powder (270 mesh), 1.78 g (10 mmoles) of anthracene and 0.2 ml (2.6 mmoles) of ethyl bromide in 100 ml THF were stirred for 2 to 3 hours until the formation of MgA was completed. To the stirred product, 1.97 g (10.2 mmoles) of NiCl₂ ·0.9 THF were added within two hours, the resulting mixture was stirred for 3 hours, filtered, and the filter cake was washed with THF. An aliquot of the clear black filtrate (113 ml) was hydrolyzed with 2N H₂ SO₄, and the hydrogen formed thereupon (2.2 H₂ /Ni) was analyzed by mass spectrometry. A further sample of the filtrate was protolyzed with CH₃ OH which had been admixed with n-octane and n-hexadecane as internal standards; the sample was centrifuged (to remove the precipitated nickel), and the solution was analyzed by gas chromatography. The solution (113 ml) contained, according to the GC analysis, 1.0 mmole of n-butanol, 7.5 mmoles of 9,10-dihydroanthracene, 0.1 mmoles of anthracene, 0.2 mmoles of tetrahydroanthracene and 0.1 mmoles of 9-(4-hydroxybutyl)-9,10-dihydroanthracene and, according to the complexometric titration 6.6 mmoles of Ni²⁺, 27.2 mmoles of Mg²⁺ and 17.0 mmoles of Cl⁻.

EXAMPLE 33

13.0 g (31 mmoles) of MgA is suspended in 50 ml THF. 50 ml of a 0.45 molar solution of GaGl₃ in THF is dropped over a period of 0.5 h into the stirred MgA/THF suspension previously cooled to -78° C. The color of the suspension changes from orange to a dark brown-black. The suspension is allowed with stirring to warm up to room temperature over a period of ˜18 h to give a black suspension. The product, active Ga metal (Ga^(*)), is allowed to settle on the bottom of the flask and the green or yellow colored supernatant is removed. The solid is washed with several additions of fresh TI-IF until the supernatant is colorless. The metal can also be isolated by centrifuging the reaction slurry and, after washing, transferring the solid suspended in fresh THF to a Schlenk flask.

3.6 g (8.6 mmoles) of MgA are transferred at room temperature to the Ga^(*) THF suspension via 4-shaped bridge. The reaction suspension immediately turns green. After stirring at room temperature for 24 h, the product is allowed to settle out of the suspension (now dark grey or black colored), washed with several additions of fresh THF, and dried under high vacuum. Yield: 90% of Mg₂ Ga₅, obtained as a crystalline, black pyrophoric powder. Only the diffraction lines corresponding to Mg₂ Ga₅ (Acta Cryst. B 25, (1969) 554) are noted in the X-ray diffraction pattern.

EXAMPLE 34

9.21 g (22.3 mmoles) of MgA were suspended in 400 ml toluene and stirred at room temperature for 24 h yielding in a fine suspension of active magnesium (Mg^(*)). A large proportion of the solvent toluene was removed by decantetlon, leaving ca. 40 ml of toluene with Mg^(*) metal. After adding 100 ml of freshly distilled THF and 2.25 g (7.2 mmoles) of anhydrous BiCl₃ to Mg^(*) /THF suspension, the reaction suspension was stirred for 48 h at room temperature. After filtration, washing with TI42⁼ and pentane, and drying under vacuum, 1.80 g (97%) of Bi₂ Mg₃ were obtained as a black pyrophoric powder having a specific surface area of 68 m² /g and containing ˜4 wt % of organic matter and 1.5 wt % Cl. The X-my powder diagram of Bi₂ Mg₃ thus prepared exhibits, apart from two weak signals for Bi, only strong reflections for Bi₂ Mg₃.

EXAMPLES 35-37

Anhydrous metal chlorides (AuCl₃, HgCl₂ and PbCl₂ ; Table 6) were added in the course of 5 rain to the stirred suspensions of MgA in THF and the reaction suspensions stirred for the time given in the table 6. After filtration, washing with THF (until the final wash was colorless) and drying, under vacuum, the magnesium intermetallics (table 6) were obtained as black or grey powders and identified by X-ray powder diffractometry.

EXAMPLE 38

NbCl₅ reacts with catalytically prepared magnesium hydride (U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,153) in the molar ratio 1:5 in THF at room temperature with the evolution of 1.5 H₂ /Nb and formation of a THF-soluble complex of the composition Cl₂ Nb(HMgCl)₃. After removing THF via vacuum distillation, the solid complex liberates upon thermolysis between 135°-285° C. at ambient pressure gas with the composition H₂ 69% (0.8 H₂ /Nb), 12% CH₄, 5% C₂ -, 6% C₃ - and 8% C₄ -hydrocarbons.

EXAMPLE 39

RhCl₃ reacts with MgEt₂ in the molar ratio 1:2 in THF at room temperature with evolution of 2.3 mole C₂ H₆ - and 1.5 mole C₂ H₄ /Rh and formation of a THF-soluble complex of the composition RhMg₂ Cl₃. The latter reacts with SnCl₂ in the molar ration 2:1 in boiling THF with formation of a precipitate of a Rh-Sn-alloy Rh₂ Sn.

EXAMPLE 40

In the course of the reaction of IrCl₃ with MgEt₂ in the molar ratio of 1:3 in THF at room temperature, 2.3 moles C₂ H₆, 1.2 mole C₂ H₄ and 0.3 mole C₂ H₂ /Ir are set free, while 1 mole of MgEt₂ remains unchanged. The clear THF solution contains an Ir-complex of the composition IrMg₂ Cl₃ analogous to the complex RhMg₂ Cl₃ of the example 39.

EXAMPLE 41

To a suspension of 1.06 g (34.1 mmoles) of catalytically prepared magnesium hydride (MgH₂ ^(*), U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,153) in 30 ml THF were added 1.58 g (7.5 mmoles) of anhydrous RhCl₃ and the suspension stirred for 22 h at room temperature resulting in the evolution of 1.2 mole H₂ /Rh. The precipitate was filtered off, washed with THF and dried in high vacuum affording 1.53 g of a solid 1.14 g of the solid delivered on programmed heating (1° C./min) to 400° C. at ambient pressure 291 ml gas composed of CH₄ and H₂ (62.9 %). The resulting solid was subjected to two hydrogenation/dehydrogenation cycles (1. cycle: hydrogenation at 30-40 bar H₂ /230°-380° C./71 h; dehydrogenation at ambient pressure r.t. -400° C., 1° C./min, 118 ml H₂. 2. cycle: hydrogenation at 25 bar H₂ /200° C./24 h; dehydrogenation as in the first cycle, 98 ml of a 10:1 H₂ -CH₄ mixture) and thereafter annealed under argon at 550° C. for 20 h. The X-ray powder diffraction lines of the annealed sample can be assigned to a hitherto unknown intermetallic Mg₂ Rh having a tetragonal (a=3.1914, b=10.1054 Å ) MoSi₂ structure type.

                                      TABLE 1                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Preparation of the intermetallic compound Mg.sub.2 Sn or of the finely         divided tin from SnCl.sub.2 and                                                magnesium anthracene · 3 THF (MgA), Mg in the presence of             anthracene or Mg                                                                                     React.                                                                         Temp.                                                                          [°C.]/         Sur-                               Ex- SnCl.sub.2                                                                          Mg-   Sn:Mg                                                                              Sol-                                                                              React.                                                                              Solid Composition [%]                                                                           face X-ray Procedure               ample                                                                              g    Component                                                                            Atomic                                                                             vent                                                                              Time Material                                                                             Mg Sn C H Cl                                                                              area.sup.b)                                                                         Powder                                                                               and                     No. (mmoles)                                                                            g (mmoles)                                                                           Ratio                                                                              [ml]                                                                              [h].sup.a)                                                                          [g]   Emperical Formula                                                                         [m.sup.2 /g]                                                                        Analysis                                                                             Work-up                 __________________________________________________________________________     1   1.56 MgA 6.94                                                                             1:2 THF                                                                               RT/1 1.17  12.4 60.5 1.9 0.3                                                                              Mg.sub.2 Sn                                                                          cf. Text                    (8.2)                                                                               (16.6)    100           MgSn            Sn    Example 1               1a  3.20 MgA 6.45                                                                             1:1 THF                                                                               RT/1 1.34  1.2 96.8 0.4                                                                               16.2                                                                               cf.   cf. Text                    (16.9)                                                                              (15.4)    100                           Example                                                                              Example 1a              2   5.14 MgA 34.8                                                                             1:3 THF                                                                               RT/18                                                                               4.98  23.3 69.8 4.4 1.6 0.1                                                                      36.4                                                                               Mg.sub.2 Sn                                                                          Same as                     (27.1)                                                                              (83.1)    445.sup.c)    Mg.sub.1.63 Sn  little                                                                               Example 1               3   1.69 MgA 14.8                                                                             1:4 THF                                                         60-30/16                                                                           1.65 25.6 64.1 5.4 1.0 1.3                                                                109.4                                                                              amor-                                                                             Same as                                                      (8.9)                                                                               (35.3)    150.sup.c)                                                  30 RT/   Mg.sub.1.94 Sn                                                                           phous.sup.d)                                                                      Example 2,                                                                     12 RT/12                         but at                                                                         -60° C.          4   1.76 MgA 11.5                                                                             1:3 Tol.                                                                              RT/22                                                                               1.61.sup.e)                                                                          22.7 66.0 4.9 0.8 3.0                                                                      76  Mg.sub.2 Sn                                                                          cf. Text                    (9.3)                                                                               (27.5)    170                                                                               50/2       Mg.sub.1.70 Sn  traces of                                                                            Example 4               5   1.23 Mg.sup.f) 0.45                                                                       1:3 THF                                                                               RT/18                                                                               0.97.sup.g)                                                                          25.9 72.7 0.4 0.2 0.4                                                                      14.8                                                                               Mg.sub.2 Sn                                                                          Same as                     (6.5)                                                                               (18.5)    100.sup.c)    Mg.sub.1.74 Sn  little                                                                               Example 1               6   1.10 Mg.sup.h) 0.44                                                                       1:3.1                                                                              THF                                                                               RT/6 0.83.sup.i)                                                                          26.4 71.9 0.6 0.2 0.5                                                                      10.2                                                                               Mg.sub.2 Sn                                                                          Same as                     (5.8)                                                                               (18.1)    65            Mg.sub.1.79 Sn  little                                                                               Example                 __________________________________________________________________________                                                            1                        .sup.a) After completion of the addition of SnCl.sub.2.                        .sup.b) BET method.                                                            .sup.c) SnCl dissolved in 1/3of the total amount of THF.                       .sup.d) Also after 4 hours of annealing at 250° C.                      .sup.e) The solid was washed 2 times with toluene and 3 times with THF.        .sup.f) Mg power (270 mesh + 3.3% by mole of MgA.                              .sup.g) In solution 7.3 mmoles of Mg.sup.2+ and 0.0 mmoles of Sn.              .sup.h) Mg powder (270 mesh).                                                  .sup.i) In solution 3.9 mmoles of Mg.sup.2+ and 0.0 mmoles of Sn.        

                                      TABLE 2                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Preparation of intermetallic Mg-Pd compounds or of the hydrides thereof        from PdCl.sub.2 and catalytically                                              prepared undissolved (MgH.sub.2 *) or dissolved magnesium hydride              (MgH.sub.2 ') or organomagnesium compounds                                                        React.                                                                         Temp.                                                                              Evolved               X-ray                             Ex-     Mg-  Pd:   [°C.]/                                                                      Gas   Solid           Pow-         Pro-                 amp-                                                                              PdCl.sub.2                                                                          Compon-                                                                             Mg    React.                                                                             moles/                                                                               Mater-                                                                             Composition [%]                                                                            der Pd:Mg:Cl:H.sup.b)                                                                       cedure               le g    ent  Ra-                                                                               THF                                                                               Time                                                                               g-atom                                                                               ial Mg Pd C H Cl                                                                               Analy-                                                                             in soln./mole                                                                           and                  No.                                                                               (mmoles)                                                                            (mmoles)                                                                            tio                                                                               [ml]                                                                              [h].sup.a)                                                                         of Pd [g] Empirical Formula                                                                          sis of PdCl.sub.2                                                                           Work-up              __________________________________________________________________________      9 2.89 MgH.sub.2 *                                                                         1:2                                                                                60                                                                               RT/24                                                                              0.92 H.sub.2                                                                         2.10.sup.c)                                                                        19.1 73.7 3.2 1.9 2.2                                                                      am. 1.04:1.81                                                                               cf. Text                (16.3)                                                                              (32.2)     60/6          Mg.sub.1.13 PdC.sub.0.38 H.sub.2.66                                            Cl.sub.0.1               Example                                                                        9.sup.c)             10 3.29 MgH.sub.2 *                                                                         1:3                                                                                60                                                                               RT/2                                                                               1.1 H.sub.2                                                                          2.80.sup.c)                                                                        29.9 65.3 2.0 2.2 0.7                                                                      am. 1.17:2.00                                                                               Same as                 (18.5)                                                                              (56.2)     b.p./         Mg.sub.2 PdC.sub.0.27 H.sub.3.49                                               Cl.sub.0.03              Example                                 4.5                                    9.sup.c)             11 2.57 MgH.sub.2 *                                                                         1:3.4                                                                              38                                                            78 1.6 H.sub.2                                                                         1.94.sup.c)                                                                         17.4 77.3 3.7 1.2 0.5                                                             am.                                                                               2.39:2.2:1.2                                                                       cf. Text                                                   (14.5)                                                                              (49.9)     RT/3          MgPdC.sub.0.43 H.sub.1.6 Cl.sub.0.02                                                                    Example                                 RT/42                                  11.sup.c)            11a.sup.d)                                                                        2.74 MgH.sub.2 *                                                                         1:1                                                                                31                                                                               RT/3                                                                               0.64 H.sub.2                                                                         1.59.sup.c)                                                                        0.4 95.6 1.8 1.2 0.7                                                                       Pd  1.19:2.1 Same as                 (15.4)                                                                              (15.7)                                            Example                                                                        11                   12 2.11 MgH.sub.2 *                                                                         1:4                                                                                59                                                                               RT/1                                                                               1.13 H.sub.2                                                                         1.75.sup.c)                                                                        29.1 63.8 3.9 2.7 0.3                                                                      am. 0.08:2.31:2.4:1.28                                                                      cf. Text                (11.9)                                                                              (49.6)                   Mg.sub.2 PdC.sub.0.54 H.sub.4.45                                               Cl.sub.0.01              Example                                                                        12.sup.c)            13 2.48 MgEt.sub.2                                                                          1:2                                                                               110                                                            73/48                                                                             2.02 C.sub.2 H.sub.6                                                                0.25 12.1 61.4 6.7 1.1 4.2                                                                0.88:2.06:2.05                                                                     cf. Text                                                   (14.0)                                                                              (28.5)                                                                 73 1.77 C.sub.2 H.sub.4                                                                     MgPd.sub.1.16 C.sub.1.12 H.sub.2.17 Cl.sub.0.2                                           Example                                                                    RT/2                                   13.sup.f)                               RT/48                                                       13a.sup.d)                                                                        1.15 MgEt.sub.2                                                                          1:1                                                                                50                                                            78/2.5                                                                            1.5 C.sub.2 H.sub.6                                                                 0.68 0.5 92.9 3.2 0.3 2.7                                                              g) 0.93:1:7                                                                           Same as                                                    (6.5)                                                                               (6.5)                                                                  78 0.6 C.sub.2 H.sub.4 Example                                                                    RT/2                                   13                                      RT/12                                                       14 2.12 EtMgBr                                                                              1:4                                                                               141                                                            78/12                                                                             1.9 C.sub.2 H.sub.6                                                                 0.21 10.3 80.4 4.9 1.1 3.2                                                                3.9:6.2.sup.h)                                                                     Same as                                                    (12.0)                                                                              (47.8)                                                                 78 1.7 C.sub.2 H.sub.4                                                                      MgPd.sub.1.8 C.sub.1.0                                                                   Example                                                                    RT/20                                  13                                      RT/16                                                       15 1.77 EtMgBr                                                                              1:10                                                                              200                                                            78/11                                                                             1.9 C.sub.2 H.sub.6                                                                 0.0        9.9:11.8.sup.h)                                                                    Same as                                                    (10.0)                                                                              (99.5)                                                                 78 1.6 C.sub.2 H.sub.4 Example                                                                    RT/16                                  13                                      RT/17                                                       __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a) After completion of the addition of PdCl.sub.2.                        .sup.b) Due to the hydrogen developed upon protolysis.                         .sup.c) Thermal treatment and/or dehydrogenation cf. Table 2a.                 .sup.d) Comparative experiments.                                               .sup.e) The solid reversibly reacts with 0.6-0.7 H.sub.2 /Pd (Absorption:      RT to +80° C.; Desorption: 150° C./normal pressure.              .sup.f) Reaction with PdCl.sub.2 and SnCl.sub.2 cf. Table 5.                   .sup.g) Diffuse reflections; after annealing (600° C., 72 hours):       Pd.                                                                            .sup.h) Sum of Cl + Br.                                                        .sup.i) However, solid PdCl.sub.2 was added to the EtMgBr solution.      

                                      TABLE 2a                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Dehydrogenation/Re-hydrogenation of the ternary Mg--Pd hydrides and            thermal treatment of the intermetallic Mg--Pd compounds                        from the Examples 9 to 12 and results of the X-ray powder                      __________________________________________________________________________     analysis                                                                       1.sup.st Dehydrogen. or thermal treatm..sup.a)                                                                 2.sup.nd Dehyd./therm. treatm..sup.a)                     Temp.          Re-hydro-   Temp.                                    Example                                                                             ml of gas.sup.b) /                                                                   range                                                                               Gas Composition.sup.c)                                                                   genation                                                                             ml of gas.sup.b) /                                                                   range                                    No.  g sample                                                                             [°C.]                                                                        H.sub.2                                                                           CH.sub.4                                                                          C.sub.4 H.sub.10                                                                   bar/°C./h                                                                     g sample                                                                             [°C.]                                                                        H.sub.2                             __________________________________________________________________________      9   141   317  95.1                                                                              1.2                                                                               3.7 20/200/24                                                                            16                                             10   241   323  96.9                                                                              -- 3.1 20/200/24                                                                            48    240-380                                                                             100.sup.c)                          11    46   100-280                                                                             93.2                                                                              -- 3.2 15/200/24                                                                             .sup.  0.sup.h)                               12   179   252  94.2                                                                              -- 5.8 15/200/24                                                                            65    245  100                                 __________________________________________________________________________                       3.sup.rd Dehydra.sup.a)                                           X-ray 2.sup.nd Re-hydro-                                                                          Temp.                                                                                X-ray                                                                               Empirical Formula                           Example                                                                             Powder                                                                               genation                                                                              ml of H.sub.2.sup.h)                                                                 range                                                                               Powder                                                                               after the 3.sup.rd Dehydr./                 No.  Analysis                                                                             bar/°C./h                                                                      g sample                                                                             [°C.]                                                                        Analysis                                                                             Thermal Treatment                           __________________________________________________________________________      9   MgPd.sup.d)                                                                          95/160/24                                                                             max. 8     Mg.sub.0.9 Pd.sub.1.1                                                                MgPdC.sub.0.14 H.sub.1.07 Cl.sub.0.06       10   diffuse.sup.f)                                                                       20/200/89                                                                             56    255.sup.g)                                                                          diffuse                                           11   amorphous                                                                 12         20/190/24                                                                             50    243.sup.g)                                                                          diffuse                                                                              Mg.sub.2 PdC.sub.0.07 H.sub.0.54                                               Cl.sub.0.07                                 __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a) A sample of 1-2 g of the solid is heated in the thermovolumetric       apparatus (Chem. Ing. Techn. 55 [1983] 156) at a heating rate of 1.degree      C./min from room temperature up to 400° C.                              .sup.b) ml of gas (20° C./1 bar) per gram of weighed sample.            .sup.c) According to the MS analysis.                                          .sup.d) A small part of the sample was annealed at 690° C. for 72       hours; thereupon, reflections of the tetragonal Mg.sub.0.9 Pd.sub.1.1 wer      observed in the Xray powder diagram.                                           .sup.e) Composition after the second dehydrogenation: Mg.sub.2                 PdC.sub.0.07 H.sub.0.88 Cl.sub.0.02.                                           .sup.f) A small part of the sample was annealed at 600° C. for 48       hours; thereupon, sharp reflections of the cubic MgPd were observed in th      Xray power diagram.                                                            .sup.g) Corresponding to the decomposition temperature of the Mg.sub.2         PdH.sub.x (Zeitschr. Phys. Chem. N.F. 162 (1989) 191).                         .sup.h) Composition after the second thermal treatment MgPdC.sub.0.03          H.sub.0.12 Cl.sub.0.15.                                                  

                                      TABLE 3                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Preparation of intermetallic Mg-Pt compounds or of the hydrides thereof        from PtCl.sub.2 and catalytically                                              prepared undissolved (MgH.sub.2 *) or dissolved magnesium hydride              (MgH.sub.2 ') or magnesium diethyl                                                                React.                                                                         Temp.                                                                              Evolved               X-ray                             Ex-     Mg-  Pt:   [°C.]/                                                                      Gas   Solid           Pow-         Pro-                 amp-                                                                              PtCl.sub.2                                                                          Compon-                                                                             Mg    React.                                                                             moles/                                                                               Mater-                                                                             Composition [%]                                                                            der Pt:Mg:Cl:H.sup.b)                                                                       cedure               le g    ent  Ra-                                                                               THF                                                                               Time                                                                               g-atom                                                                               ial Mg Pt C H Cl                                                                               Analy-                                                                             in soln./mole                                                                           and                  No.                                                                               (mmoles)                                                                            (mmoles)                                                                            tio                                                                               [ml]                                                                              [h].sup.a)                                                                         of Pt [g] Empirical Formula                                                                          sis of PdCl.sub.2                                                                           Work-up              __________________________________________________________________________     16 5.63 MgH.sub.2 *                                                                         1:2                                                                                50                                                                               RT/ 0.97 H.sub.2                                                                         4.74.sup.d)                                                                        10.3 85.7 1.6 1.0 1.1                                                                      e)  1.07:2.03                                                                               Same as                 (21.2)                                                                              (42.5)     65.sup.c)     MgPt.sub.1.04 C.sub.0.32 H.sub.2.41                                            Cl.sub.0.07              Example                                                                        9.sup.d)             17 1.93 MgH.sub.2 *                                                                         1:3                                                                                40                                                                               RT/21                                                                              1.07 H.sub.2                                                                         1.80.sup.d)                                                                        20.4 71.8 3.7 2.6 1.4                                                                      e)  0.0:1.07:1.92                                                                           Same as                 (7.2)                                                                               (21.7)                   Mg.sub.2.28 PtC.sub.0.84 H.sub.6.96                                            Cl.sub.0.1               Example                                                                        9.sup.d)             18 2.63 MgH.sub.2 *                                                                         1:3                                                                                30                                                            78/11                                                                             1.34 H.sub.2                                                                        2.40.sup.d)                                                                         11.1 81.1 3.3 1.3 3.1                                                             am.                                                                               1.72:2.30:0.61                                                                     Same as                                                    (10.1)                                                                              (30.3)                                                                 78           Mg.sub.1.1 PtC.sub.0.65 H.sub.2.98 Cl.sub.0.2                                            Example                                                                    RT/6                                   11.sup.d)                               RT/1                                                        19 2.85 MgH.sub.2 *                                                                         1:4                                                                                49                                                                               RT/1                                                                               1.03 H.sub.2                                                                         2.50.sup.d)                                                                        21.0 71.4 4.4 1.6 1.5                                                                      am. 2.16:2.79:0.82                                                                          Same as                 (10.7)                                                                              (42.8)                   Mg.sub.2.36 PtC.sub.1.01 H.sub.4.2                                             Cl.sub.0.1               Example                                                                        12.sup.d)            20 4.24 MgEt.sub.2                                                                          1:2                                                                               115                                                            78/                                                                               2.0 C.sub.2 H.sub.6                                                                 0.0        1.0:2.0:1.9                                                                        Same as                                                    (15.9)                                                                              (31.8)     RT/1                                                                               1.8 C.sub.2 H.sub.4                Example                                 b.p./                                  13                                      0.5                                                         __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a) After completion of the addition of PtCl.sub.2.                        .sup.b) Due to the hydrogen developed upon protolysis.                         .sup.c) After 1 hour 0.90 H.sub.2 /Pt.                                         .sup.d) Thermal treatment and/or dehydrogenation cf. Table 3a.                 e) Diffuse reflections.                                                  

                                      TABLE 3a                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Dehydrogenation of the ternary Mg-Pt hydrides and thermal treatment of         the intermetallic Mg-Pt                                                        compounds from the Examples 16 to 19 and results of the X-ray power            analysis                                                                       1st Dehyrogen. or thermal treatm..sup.a)                                                                Hydro-                                                                             2nd                         X-ray                 Ex-                                                                               ml of                                                                              Temp.             gen.                                                                               De-                   Annealing                                                                            Powder                amp-                                                                              gas.sup.b)                                                                         Gas               Cond.                                                                              hydr..sup.a)                                                                       Composition [%]                                                                            X-ray of the                                                                               Analysis              le /g of                                                                              range                                                                               Composition.sup.c)                                                                          bar/                                                                               ml of                                                                              Mg Pt C H Cl                                                                               Powder                                                                               Sample                                                                               after                 No.                                                                               sample                                                                             [°C.]                                                                        H.sub.2                                                                           CH.sub.4                                                                          C.sub.3 H.sub.8                                                                   C.sub.4 C.sub.10                                                                   °C./h                                                                       Gas.sup.b)                                                                         Empirical Formula                                                                          Analysis                                                                             °C./hour                                                                      Annealing             __________________________________________________________________________     16  90 357  86.5                                                                              5.1                                                                               2.5                                                                               1.5  40/                                                                               0   10.1 88.5 0.3 0.2 0.8                                                                            700/24                                                                               MgPt.sub.3                                                                     .sup.d)                                        240/24  MgPt.sub.1.09 C.sub.0.1 H.sub.0.4                                              Cl.sub.0.05                                   17 156 340  89.3                                                                              4.7                                                                               2.1                                                                               3.8  40/                                                                               0   20.7 76.6 0.5 0.3 1.8                                                                      Weak  700/24                                                                               e)                                             240/24  Mg.sub.2.17 PtC.sub.0.1 H.sub.0.66                                             Cl.sub.0.13 reflections                       18  66  83-300                                                                             86.7                                                                              4.8                                                                               -- 8.5  50/                                                                               0   14.4   0.3 0.1 2.9                                                                         amorphous                                                                            600/24                                                                               tetragonal                                     200/43                          MgPt.sup.f)           19 117 210-375                                                                             83.4                                                                              3.6                                                                               -- 12.4                                                                               100/                                                                               22.sup.g)                                                                          19.3 78.6 0.4 0.3 1.5                                                                      amorphous                                                                            700/24                                                                               e)                                             200/60  Mg.sub.2 PtC.sub.0.09 H.sub.0.41                                               Cl.sub.0.11                                   __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a),b),c) cf. Table 2a.                                                    .sup.d) The sample additionally contains still one (?) further MgPt phase      e) Monoclinic Mg.sub.2 Pt and tetragonal MgPt (cf. FIG. 1).                    .sup.f) cf. FIG. 2.                                                            .sup.g) At about 320° C. (98% of H.sub.2) corresponding to              MgH.sub.2.                                                               

                                      TABLE 4                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Preparation of THF-soluble M.sup.1 --Mg hydridehalides or of                   intermetallic Mg compounds                                                     from metal halides (M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m) and dissolved magnesium hydride          (MgH.sub.2 ')                                                                  __________________________________________________________________________                                     React. Temp.                                                           M.sup.1 :Mg                                                                            [°C.]/                                  Example            MgH.sub.2 '                                                                         Atomic                                                                             THF React. Time                                    No.  M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m g (mmoles)                                                                  [mmoles]                                                                            Ratio                                                                              [ml]                                                                               [h].sup.a)                                     __________________________________________________________________________     21   FeCl.sub.2 4.20                                                                          (33.1)                                                                             71.8 1:2.2                                                                              50  -78    RT/5                                                                           RT/3                                     21a FeCl.sub.2 1.84                                                                          (14.5)                                                                             14.7 1:1 29  -78    RT/5                                                                           RT/3                                      21b                                                                               FeCl.sub.2 3.83                                                                          (30.2)                                                                             45.4 1:1.5                                                                              62  -78    RT/15                                                                          RT/3                                    22   CoCl.sub.2 6.45                                                                          (49.7)                                                                             103  1:2 53  -78    RT/5                                                                           RT/3                                    23   NiCl.sub.2.1.5 THF 4.05                                                                  (17.2)                                                                             35.1 1:2 29  - 78/26                                                                        -78    RT/24                                                                          RT/18                                    23a NiCl.sub.2.1.5 THF 4.05                                                                  (17.2)                                                                             18.0 1:1.06                                                                             25  -78    RT/17                                   24   RuCl.sub.3 1.03                                                                          (5.0)                                                                              15.1 1:3 20  -78    RT/25                                                                          RT/22                                   25   RhCl.sub.3 1.21                                                                          (58)                                                                               18.7 1:3.2                                                                              26  +25 + 30/2                                     26   MnCl.sub.2 1.72                                                                          (13.7)                                                                             54.6 1:4 38  +20 + 30/4                                     27   CuCl.sub.2 6.38                                                                          (46.8)                                                                             97.0 1:2.07                                                                             60                                                 __________________________________________________________________________          H.sub.2 -Evolution                                                        Example                                                                             [moles/g-                                                                             Solid Material                                                                         M.sup.1 :Mg:Cl:H.sup.b) in soln./                          No.  atom of M.sup.1 ]                                                                     [g]     mole of M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m                                                                  Procedure and Work-up                           __________________________________________________________________________     21   0.92   0.0     1.0:2.03:2.35:2.26                                                                        Same as Example 11.sup.c)                        21a 0.79   0.92.sup.d)                                                                            0.02:1.0:2.0                                                                              Same as Example 11                                21b                                                                               0.89   1.20    0.45:1.39:2.26:0.59                                                                       Same as Example 11                              22   0.99   0.57.sup.e)                                                                            1.0:2.18:2.43:1.96                                                                        Same as Example 11.sup.f)                       23   1.0    .sup.g) 1.0:2.07:2.13:2.07                                                                        Same as Example 11.sup.h)                        23a 0.80   1.02.sup.i)                                                                            0.06:1.05:2.03:0.12                                                                       Same as Example 11                              24   0.75   --                 Same as Example 11                              25   1.4    0.068              Same as Example 11                              26   1.1    0.037              Same as Example 11                              27   1.2    4.25               Same as Example 11                              __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a) After completion of the addition of M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m.                  .sup.b) Due to the hydrogen developed upon protolysis.                         .sup.c) Reaction with FeCl.sub.2, CoCl.sub.2, NiCl.sub.2 and CuCl.sub.2 ;      cf. Table 5a.                                                                  .sup.d) Fe 86.4, Mg 1.6, C 6.0, Cl 6.2%                                        .sup.e) Substantially MgH.sub.2, according to the elemental analysis.          .sup.f) Reaction with FeCl.sub.2, cf. Table 5a.                                .sup.g) Small amount of MgCl.sub.2.                                            .sup.h) Reaction with NiCl.sub.2 and CoCl.sub.2, cf. Table 5a.                 .sup.i) Ni 87.7, Mg 2.0, C 6.8, H 1.4, Cl 2.1%.                          

                                      TABLE 4a                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Preparation of THF-soluble complexes Fe.sub.2 Mg.sub.3 Cl.sub.4, and           Ni(MgCl).sub.2 . MgA from                                                      FeCl.sub.2 and NiCl.sub.2, respectively, and Mg powder, optionally in the      presence of activators                                                         Exam-                  M.sup.1 :Mg     Reaction                                                                             M.sup.1 [%]                       ple             Mg Powder.sup.a)                                                                      Atomic                                                                             Activator                                                                               THF                                                                               Time at RT                                                                           in  H.sub.2 /M.sup.1                                                                      Procedure              No. M.sup.1 X.sub.m g (mmoles)                                                                 [mmoles]                                                                              Ratio                                                                              (mmoles) [ml]                                                                              [hours]                                                                              Soln..sup.b)                                                                       Protolysis                                                                            and                    __________________________________________________________________________                                                             Work-up                28  FeCl.sub.2                                                                             (19.9)                                                                             200    1:10                                                                               --       130                                                                               19    13.6                                                                               1.52   cf. Test                                                                       Example 28             29  FeCl.sub.2                                                                             (19.9)                                                                             200    1:10                                                                               Quinuelidine (26)                                                                       130                                                                               19    28.9                                                                               1.56   Same as                                                                        Example 28             30  NiCl.sub.2.1.5 THF                                                                     (27)                                                                               823    130 (CH.sub.2 Br).sub.2.sup.c)                                                               67      23.7                                                                               1.48   Same as                                                                        Example 28             31  NiCl.sub.2.1.5 THF                                                                     (16.1)                                                                             411    1:25                                                                               --       100                                                                                5      33.0.sup.c)                                                                      1.49   Same as                                                                        Example 28             32  NiCl.sub.2.0.9 THF                                                                     (10.2)                                                                             823    1:81                                                                               Anthracene (10)                                                                         100                                                                                3    64.7                                                                               2.2    cf. Test                                                                       Example                __________________________________________________________________________                                                             32                      .sup.a) 270 mesh.                                                              .sup.b) After centrifugation of filtration.                                    .sup.c) 0.05 ml.                                                               .sup.d) Reaction with FeCl.sub.2, cf. Table 5a.                                .sup.e) Undissolved portion: 9.89 g (Mg 86.1 Ni 8.1, Cl 1.2%).           

                                      TABLE 5                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Preparation of finely divided metal powders or alloys from Mg.sub.2 Sn,        Pd(MgCl).sub.2 or Pt(MgCl).sub.2 and metal                                     halides M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m or M.sup.2 Cl.sub.n                                   __________________________________________________________________________     Ex- M.sup.1 Mg-Compon.                                                                      M.sup.1 Mg                                                                          M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m                                                                      M.sup.1 :M.sup.2                                                                   React. Temp.                                                                          Solid                                                                               Composition [%]                       ample                                                                              (mmoles  in ml                                                                               or M.sup.2 Cl.sub.n                                                                   Atomic                                                                             [°C.]/React.                                                                   Material                                                                            M.sup.1 M.sup.2 C H Cl                No. of M.sup.1)                                                                             of THF                                                                              (mmoles)                                                                              Ratio                                                                              Time[h].sup.a)                                                                        [g]  Empirical Formula                     __________________________________________________________________________      1  Mg.sub.2 Sn + Sn (8.2)                                                                   97  SnCl.sub.2 (8.2)                                                                      1:1 RT/7                                              3B  Mg.sub.2 Sn (13.1)                                                                      150  CuCl.sub.2 (25.9)                                                                     1:2 RT/82  3.18 47.6 41.5 2.4 3.6 0.5 1.9                                                      Cu.sub.1.62 SnMg.sub.0.25             13  Pd(MgCl).sub.2 (1.32)                                                                    56  PdCl.sub.2 (1.65)                                                                         RT/3-4 days                                                                           0.16 89.1 0.04 3.9 2.7 4.1                 13  Pd(MgCl).sub.2 (4.51)                                                                    90  SnCl.sub.2 (4.50)                                                                     1:1 RT/3-4 days                                                                           1.02 43.5 42.8 2.0 5.9 1.0 4.6                                                      Pd.sub.1.13 SnMg.sub.0.23                                                      C.sub.1.36 H.sub.2.72 Cl.sub.0.36     20  Pt(MgCl).sub.2 (6.15)                                                                   100  SnCl.sub.2 (5.65)                                                                     1.09:1                                                                             RT/48 h                                                                               2.03 59.6 33.7 1.1 3.5 0.7 0.7                                                      Pt.sub.1.08 SnMg.sub.0.16                                                      CH.sub.2.52 Cl.sub.0.07               __________________________________________________________________________                               Ex- X-ray  M.sup.1 :Mg:Cl:M.sup.2                                              ample                                                                              Powder in solution per                                                                         Procedure                                                  No. Analysis                                                                              mole of M.sup.1 used                                                                    and Work-up                      __________________________________________________________________________                                1  Sn              cf. Text                                                                       Example 1                                                  3B  b)     1.57     cf. Text                                                                       Example 3B                                                 13                  cf. Text                                                                       Example 13                                                 13  amorphous.sup.c)                                                                      1.94:3.90                                                                               cf. Text                                                                       Example 13                                                 20  PtSn.sup.d)                                                                           0.01:2.18:3.74:0.01                                                                     Same as                                                                        Pd(MgCl).sub.2                                                                 + SnCl.sub.2                                                                   Example 13                       __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a) After completion of the addition of M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m or M.sup.2        Cl.sub.n.                                                                      .sup.b) Besides weak Sn reflections there are numerous reflections which       have not yet been assigned.                                                    .sup.c) Even after annealing at 800° C. for 24 hours.                   .sup.d) Amorphous; crystalline only after annealing at 700° C. for      24 hours.                                                                

                                      TABLE 5a                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Preparation of finely divided metal powders or alloys from THF-soluble         M.sup.1 -Mg (hydride) halides                                                  or halides Fe(HMgCl).sub.2, Co(HMgCl).sub.2 and Ni.sub.2 Mg.sub.3              Cl.sub.4 and metal halides                                                     (M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m or M.sup.2 Cl.sub.n)                                         __________________________________________________________________________     Ex- M.sup.1 Mg-(hydride)                                                                        M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m                                                                          M.sup.1 :M.sup.2                                                                   React. Temp.                                                                             Solid                                ample                                                                              halide (mmoles                                                                           THF                                                                               or M.sup.2 Cl.sub.n                                                                       Atomic                                                                             [°C.]/React.                                                                   H.sub.2 /-                                                                        Material                             No. of M.sup.1)                                                                              [ml]                                                                              (mmoles)   Ratio                                                                              Time[h].sup.a)                                                                        M.sup.1                                                                           [g]                                  __________________________________________________________________________     21  Fe(HMgCl).sub.2 (17.3)                                                                    81                                                                               FeCl.sub.2 (18.9)                                                                         0.92:1                                             78 RT/5                                                                            0.84                                                                       21  Fe(HMgCl).sub.2 (60.4)                                                                   2676                                                                              CoCl.sub.2 (58.2)                                                                         1.04:1                                                                             RT/    0.98                                                                              9.7                                  21  Fe(HMgCl).sub.2 (14.7)                                                                    40                                                                               NiCl.sub.2 (14.7)                                                                         1:1                                                78/5                                                                               0.74      1.83                                                             78 RT/6                                                                                                        RT/3                                           21  Fe(HMgCl).sub.2 (18.4)                                                                    100                                                                              CuCl.sub.2 (18.6)                                                                         1:1                                                78/5                                                                               0.93      2.20                                                             78 RT/6                                                                                                        RT/3                                           22  Co(HMgCl).sub.2 (40.6)                                                                    140                                                                              FeCl.sub.2 (44.8)                                                                         0.91:1                                             78 RT/                                                                             0.77                                                                       22a                                                                            23  Ni(HMgCl).sub.2 (12.3)                                                                    47                                                                               NiCl.sub.2.1.5 THF (12.0)                                                                 1:1                                                78 RT/20                                                                           0.45      1.38                                                             23  Ni(HMgCl).sub.2 (11.6)                                                                    35                                                                               CoCl.sub.2 (10.8)                                                                         1.07:1                                             78 RT/19                                                                           0.42      1.33                                                             30  Ni.sub.2 Mg.sub.3 Cl.sub.4                                                                  FeCl.sub.2                                                    __________________________________________________________________________     Ex-      Composition [%] X-ray M.sup.1 :Mg:Cl:M.sup.2                          ample    M.sup.1 M.sup.2 Mg C H Cl                                                                      Powder                                                                               in solution per                                                                         Procedure                              No.      Empirical Formula                                                                              Analysis                                                                             mole of M.sup.1                                                                         and Work-up                            __________________________________________________________________________     21                             Trace:2.2:4.2                                                                           b)                                     21       31.8 32.0 3.1 9.5 1.7 12.1                                                                     FeCo  Trace:1.8:3.5:0.01                                                                      c)                                              Fe.sub.1.05 CoMg.sub.0.23 C . . . H.sub.0.16 Cl.sub.0.63              21       39.4 41.9 1.2 9.2 1.9 2.7                                                                            0.05:2.0:4.1:0.03                                                                       b)                                              FeNiMg.sub.0.07 C.sub.1.07 H.sub.2.7 Cl.sub.0.1                       21       35.0 46.0 0.9 7.9 1.1 3.8                                                                            0.15:1.9:4.1:0.14                                                                       b)                                              Fe.sub.0.87 CuMg.sub.0.05 C.sub.0.91 H.sub.1.4 Cl.sub.0.15            22                       FeCo  0.01:2.0:3.9:0.0                                                                        b)                                     22a                      FeCo                                                  23       77.8   3.6   3.3      0.1:2.0:4.0                                                                             b)                                     23       42.6 42.7 3.5 4.9 2.0 4.1                                                                      amorphous                                                                            0.01:2.1:4.2:0.11                                                                       b)                                              NiCoMg.sub.0.2 C.sub.0.56 H.sub.2.75 Cl.sub.0.16                      30                       FeNi.sub.2                                            __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a) After completion of the addition of M.sup.1 Cl.sub.m or M.sup.2        Cl.sub.n.                                                                      b) In the same manner as Pd(MgCl).sub.2 + SnCl.sub.2 in Example 14.            .sup.c) In this case the solution of Fe(HMgCl).sub.2 in 176 ml of THF was      dropwise added within 6.5 hours to the stirred solution of CoCl.sub.2 in       2.5 liters of THF.                                                       

                                      TABLE 6                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Preparation of MgAu, MgHg, and MgPb intermetallics from magnesium              anthracene - 3 THF (MgA) and metal chlorides (MX.sub.n) in THF                 Ex-                    react.                                                                             isol.                                                                             composition [%]                                                                          spec.                                  ample                                                                              MgA   MX.sub.n                                                                             Mg:M                                                                               THF                                                                               time                                                                               solid                                                                             Mg M C H Cl                                                                              surface                                                                            X-ray                              No. g (mmole)                                                                            g (mmole)                                                                            ratio                                                                              [ml]                                                                              [h] [g]                                                                               formula   [m.sub.2 /g]                                                                       diffr.                             __________________________________________________________________________     35  9.2 (23)                                                                             AuCl.sub.3                                                                           4.2:1                                                                              70  22 1.20                                                                              13.8 67.7 11.1 1.5 1.5                                                                   73.4                                                                               MgAu.sup.1)                                  1.65 (5.4)          Mg.sub.1.65 Au                                   36  5.8 (14)                                                                             HgCl.sub.2                                                                           3.7:1                                                                              40 120 0.82                                                                              12.1 75.8 6.0 0.6 0.1                                                                    12.1                                                                               MgHg                                         1.06 (3.9)          Mg.sub.1.32 Hg                                                                           I                                      37  6.8 (17)                                                                             PbCl.sub.2                                                                           3.1:1                                                                              70 120 1.31                                                                              17.2 80.4 1.5 0.2 0.3                                                                     6.0                                                                               Mg.sub.2 Pb                                  1.51 (5.4)          Mg.sub.1.83 Pb                                                                               +Pb                                __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.1) After heating the sample under argon to 400° C. for 24 h   

We claim:
 1. The method for the production of a soluble metal-magnesium compound of the formula M¹ -Mg-halide or M¹ -hydride-Mg halide in which M¹ is a metal of Group III A-VA, VB-VIIB, VIII, IB or IIB of the Periodic Table, comprising by in a first step reacting the metal M¹ or a halide or hydride thereof in an organic solvent with at least one magnesium-containing member selected from the group consisting of magnesium hydride (MgH₂), a hydridemagnesium halide (HMgX), an organomagnesium compound and metallic magnesium, at least one of the M¹ -component or the magnesium component containing a halide ion, optionally in the presence of at least one activator selected from the group consisting of anthracene or a derivative thereof, magnesium·3 THF (MgA) or a derivative thereof, a magnesium halide, an organic halide and quinuclidine, and in a second step reacting such compound with an M¹ halide.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second step is carried out in a solvent.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal M¹ in the second step is different than the metal M¹ in the first step. 